With increasing development of science and technology, various touch-sensitive input devices are introduced into the market. The touch-sensitive input device may be operated in two different input modes. In addition, the touch-sensitive input device has an illumination module. In a case that the illumination module is enabled, a preset pattern of the touch-sensitive input device is visible, and thus the touch-sensitive input device is operated in a first input mode. Whereas, in a case that the illumination module is disabled, the preset pattern is invisible, and thus the touch-sensitive input device is operated in a second input mode. That is, the user may realize the current input mode of the touch-sensitive input device by judging whether the preset pattern is visible or not. Consequently, the touch-sensitive input device is operated in the input mode to input signals. For example, if the illumination module is disabled, the overall outward appearance of the touch-sensitive input device looks black, and the input mode is a preset mouse cursor control mode. Under this circumstance, the user may perform a mouse-moving action or a clicking action by operating the overall black touch-sensitive input device. Whereas, if the illumination module is enabled, the touch-sensitive input device is displayed as a luminous keyboard, and the input mode is a preset keyboard control mode. Under this circumstance, the user may input characters and symbols via the touch-sensitive input device according to the visible luminous pattern. For avoiding the user's confusion, the luminous touch-sensitive input device should be specially designed to make the preset pattern invisible when the illumination module is disabled and make the preset pattern visible when illumination module is enabled.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a conventional luminous input device. The conventional luminous input device 1 comprises an input interface 11, an illumination module 12 and a Mylar plate 13. From bottom to top, the input interface 11, the illumination module 12 and the Mylar plate 13 are sequentially shown. In a case that the input interface 11 is triggered by a user's finger or a pen, a corresponding touching signal is generated. The illumination module 12 comprises a light-emitting element 121 and a light guide plate 122. The light-emitting element 121 is used for emitting a light beam (not shown). The light guide plate 122 is located beside the light-emitting element 121 for guiding the light beam to the input interface 11. For example, the light-emitting element 121 is a light emitting diode (LED). The Mylar plate 13 has a plurality of luminous patterns 131. These luminous patterns 131 are disposed on a bottom surface 133 of the Mylar plate 13. In addition, the luminous patterns 131 are formed by printing a black light-shading ink having a light-shading percentage of about 98%. The regions of the bottom surface 133 of the Mylar plate 13 excluding the luminous patterns 131 are light-shading layers 132. These light-shading layers 132 are formed by printing a black opaque ink. Consequently, the light beam is only permitted to be transmitted through the regions of the bottom surface 133 of the Mylar plate 13 that are printed with the luminous patterns 131, and the light beam fails to be transmitted through the light-shading layers 132.
In a case that the illumination module 12 of the luminous input device 1 is disabled, the weak ambient light beams from the surroundings may be directed into the luminous input device 1. Since the luminous patterns 131 have the light-shading percentage of about 98%, only 2% of the ambient light beams can be transmitted through the luminous patterns 131. Since the ambient light beams are too weak, the luminous patterns 131 of the Mylar plate 13 fail to be recognized by naked eyes. In other words, the luminous patterns 131 are invisible. Whereas, when the illumination module 12 of the luminous input device 1 is enabled, a great portion of the light beam is directed into the luminous input device 1. Although only 2% of the light beam from the illumination module 12 can be transmitted through the Mylar plate 13, the light intensity is sufficient to be recognized by the human's eyes. Under this circumstance, the luminous patterns 131 are visible, and thus the user can recognize the touched position corresponding to the luminous patterns 131 of the luminous input device 1. The configurations and functions of the conventional touch-sensitive input device have been illustrated as above.
With increasing development of science and technology, the functions of the touch-sensitive input device become more diverse. Nowadays, an input device with multiple layers of luminous patterns is introduced into the market. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating an input device with multiple layers of luminous patterns according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 2 comprises an input interface 21, a first illumination module 22, a second illumination module 23, a circuit board 24, a light-shading plate 25 and a protective layer 26. From bottom to top, the input interface 21, the second illumination module 23, the light-shading plate 25, the first illumination module 22 and the protective layer 26 are sequentially shown.
In a case that the input interface 21 is triggered, a corresponding touching signal is generated. The first illumination module 22 comprises a first light-emitting element 221 and a first light guide plate 222. The first light-emitting element 221 is used for emitting a first light beam (not shown). The first light guide plate 222 is located beside the first light-emitting element 221 for guiding the first light beam to the input interface 21. In addition, the first light guide plate 222 has a plurality of first luminous patterns 2221. The first luminous patterns 2221 are disposed on a bottom surface 2222 of the first light guide plate 222. That is, when the first light beam is emitted by the first light-emitting element 221, the first luminous patterns 2221 of the first light guide plate 222 are illuminated and become visible. Moreover, the first luminous patterns 2221 are collectively defined as an alphanumeric keyboard interface for inputting letters and symbols.
The second illumination module 23 comprises a second light-emitting element 231 and a second light guide plate 232. The second light-emitting element 231 is used for emitting a second light beam (not shown). The second light guide plate 232 is located beside the second light-emitting element 231 for guiding the second light beam to the input interface 21. In addition, the second light guide plate 232 has a plurality of second luminous patterns 2321. The second luminous patterns 2321 are disposed on a bottom surface 2322 of the second light guide plate 232. That is, when the second light beam is emitted by the second light-emitting element 231, the second luminous patterns 2321 of the second light guide plate 232 are illuminated and become visible. Moreover, the second luminous patterns 2321 are collectively defined as a Chinese keyboard interface for inputting Chinese characters. In addition, both of the light-emitting element 221 and the light-emitting element 231 are light emitting diodes.
Please refer to FIG. 2 again. The protective layer 26 is disposed over the first illumination module 22. The protective layer 26 is used for protecting the first illumination module 22 from being collided or rubbed by the external force. The protective layer 26 has a light-shading layer 261. The light-shading layer 261 is disposed on a top surface 262 of the protective layer 26 for shading a great portion of the first light beam, a great portion of the second light beam or a great portion of the external light beams. The light-shading layer 261 is formed by printing a light-shading ink on the top surface 262 of the protective layer 26. In addition, the light-shading layer 261 has a preset light-shading percentage of about 98%. The circuit board 24 is located beside the first illumination module 22 and the second illumination module 23. In addition, the circuit board 24 is perpendicular to the light-shading plate 25. The first light-emitting element 221 and the second light-emitting element 231 are disposed on the circuit board 24. As shown in FIG. 2, both of the first light-emitting element 221 and the second light-emitting element 231 are front-view light emitting diodes.
The light-shading plate 25 is arranged between the first light guide plate 222 and the second light guide plate 232 for shading the first light beam that is emitted by the first light-emitting element 221. Since the first light beam is not directed to the second light guide plate 232, the second luminous patterns 2321 of the second illumination module 23 on the second light guide plate 232 are not influenced by the first light beam. Similarly, the second light beam from the second light-emitting element 231 is also shaded by the light-shading plate 25. Since the second light beam is not directed to the first light guide plate 222, the first luminous patterns 2221 of the first illumination module 22 on the first light guide plate 222 are not influenced by the second light beam.
In a case that the first illumination module 22 and the second illumination module 23 of the input device 2 are disabled, the weak ambient light beams from the surroundings may be directed into the luminous input device 2. Since the light-shading layer 261 has the preset light-shading percentage of about 98%, only 2% of the ambient light beams can be transmitted through the light-shading layer 261. Since the ambient light beams are too weak, the ambient light beams fail to be recognized by naked eyes. Consequently, the first luminous patterns 2221 and the second luminous patterns 2321 on the first light guide plate 222 and the second light guide plate 232 are invisible. That is, these luminous patterns are not viewed by the user. Whereas, when the first illumination module 22 of the input device 2 is enabled, a great portion of first light beam is directed into the input device 2. Although only 2% of the first light beam from the first illumination module 22 can be transmitted through the light-shading layer 261, the light intensity is sufficient to be recognized by the human's eyes. Under this circumstance, the first luminous patterns 2221 are visible, and thus the user can recognize the touched position corresponding to the first luminous patterns 2221 of the input device 2. The operations of enabling the second illumination module 23 of the input device 2 of this embodiment are similar to those of the first illumination module 22, and are not redundantly described herein.
From the above discussions, the input device 2 can provide two types of luminous patterns. By judging whether the first luminous patterns 2221 or the second luminous patterns 2321 are visible, the user may realize the current keyboard mode of the input device 2. However, the conventional input device 2 still has some drawbacks. For example, the first luminous patterns 2221 and the second luminous patterns 2321 are disposed on the first light guide plate 222 and the second light guide plate 232, respectively. Since the first light guide plate 222 and the second light guide plate 232 are arranged in a stacked form, the overall thickness of the input device 2 is too large.